Ofqual: Regulatory framework for apprenticeship assessment

AAT welcomes the opportunity to respond to this consultation and to support the development of a reformed framework for apprenticeship assessment. As an EPAO since 2017, AAT has been at the heart of the apprenticeship assessment system in its current form and has a clear sense of what works well and where there are opportunities for positive reform in the interests of apprentices and employers. 

Overall, we feel that the current EPA system generally works well. For example, the DfE's 2023 Apprenticeship Evaluation Employer Survey Research Report found that 83% of employers thought the assessment was a good test of learner's occupational competence, with 80% saying they thought it was important for their organisation. Nevertheless, we broadly 
support what the government and Ofqual are seeking to achieve with these reforms, and agree that improving flexibility, simplicity and cost-effectiveness for employers is the right ambition. 

Assessments are vital for ensuring apprenticeships deliver the skills employers need. They help ensure that learners are real-world ready, equipped with the skills and capabilities necessary for the workplace, and enabling them to forge long-term, fulfilling careers. It is essential that these outcomes continue to sit at the heart of the new regulatory framework. Whilst supportive of the proposed reforms overall, AAT feels strongly that the reforms to apprenticeship assessment should be underpinned by the following principles: flexibility; protecting learner outcomes; limiting the overall volume of change; maintaining the quality and objectivity of assessment; improving portability through the recognition of prior learning; and effective collaboration.